Artificial tooth.



W. W. OSWA LD.

ARTIFICIAL TOOTH. APPIICATION .HLED} IAN- 2|, 1916.

1,21 1,749. Patented Jan. 9, 1917.

STATES PATENT orrrron WALTER W. OSWALD, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

' ARTIFICIAL TOOTH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9, 1917.

Application filed January 21, 1916. Serial No. 73,459.

This invention relates to certain improve- -ments in artificial teeth, and refers more particularl to the means for attachin the porcelain bodies or facings of indiv1 ual teeth to the metal back-piece.

The main object is to provide a light, yet strong and durableinterlocking connection between the main body and back-piece located so as to permit considerable portions of the tooth to be cut or ground away in fitting without in any way interfering with any of the interlocking parts of such connection.-

Another object is to permit the main body and back-piece to be more easily and quickly secured to each other with greater assurance of proper securement than has heretofore been practiced.

A further object is to standardize attachments of this character so that they may be used for all kinds of teeth.

Other objects and uses relating to specific parts of the device will be brought out in the following description.

In the drawings-Figure 1 is a front face view of asimple form of artificial tooth embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the same tooth, taken on line 22, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a rear perspective view of the detached body of porcelain facing showing the form ofthe chamber therein for receiving the locking device for the rear plate. Fig. 4 is a perspectiveview of the metal back-piece or plate showing the locking device for attaching it to the porcelain body. Fig. 5 is a front face view of a slightly modified form of artificial tooth.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the same, taken on line 66, Fig. 5. 7

As illustrated, this artificial tooth comprises a main body or facing --1-. of porcelain or other suitable material, a relatively thin sheet metal back-piece, preferably of gold or other non-corrodible substance, and cooperative means, presently described, for connecting the two parts together.

The main body is provided with a laterally elongated chamber 3 in the form of an inverted L in cross section and consists of a horizontalportion 4. open from the back of the main body andan upright or vertical portion 5- extending from the front of the horizontal portion -4 toward the crown of the tooth, but of considerably less depth from front to rear than said horizontal portion so as to leave aconsiderable portion of the stock in the formof a flange -6 at the rear of the upright portion 5- of the chamber for a purpose hereinafter described. This chamber lies whollywithin the marginal edges and front face of the main body 1 and is centrally disposed therein with reference to the side edges, but is of considerably greater length from side to side than the vertical depth of either the horizontal portion -4 or upright/portion 5, the vertical depth of the horizontal portion 1- being at least equal to and preferably greater than that of the upright portion 5-, which latter is disposed at substantially right angles to the horizontal portion, the walls of the chamber being substantially fiat and form right angles with each other. I

The back-piece -2- is provided with a forwardly projecting angle plate which is also made in the form of an inverted L in cross section and is of approximately the same length laterally of the tooth as the chamber -3- in which it is adapted to fit, said angle plate being preferably made of platinum or equivalent strong, but non-corrodible material, and consists of a substantially horizontal portion 7- and an upright porthe flat back of the main body 1- against which it is secured.

The horizontal portion -7 and upright portion 8 of the angle plateare comparatively thin and fiat, the horizontal portion -7 being of substantlally the same width from front to rear as the corresponding depth of the horizontal portion 4 of said chamber, While the upright portion 8 is of approximately the same or slightly less vertical depth than the corresponding depth of the horizontal port on of the chamber so as to allow it'to be 1nserted into the open side of said chamber in assembling the two.parts 1 and 2 together, it being understood that the thlckness from front to rear of the upright por-' tion 8-- is s lightly less than the corresponding depth of the upright portlon 5 .so as to allow it to' readily enter therein as the parts 1 and 2- are moved lengthwise relatively to each other in the act of attaching them one to the other.

As shown more clearly in Fig. 4 and by dotted lines in Fig. 2, the opposite ends of the horizontal portion or ledge 7 of the angle plate are provided with braces 11 having their rear edges riveted or otherwise secured to the back-piece 2- to additionally support the angle plate against excessive strains, and also to provide additional area for contact with,"the,.cementitious filling 10 when the parts 1 and 2 are assembled. In like manner and for a similar purpose, the opposite ends of the upright portion or flange -8 of the angle plate are connected to the corresponding ends of the horizontal ledge -7 by braces 12 shown in Fig. 4 and by dotted lines in Fig. 2. When these braces are employed the main body 1- of the tooth is provided with corresponding channels 13 communicating with the horizontal portion 4 of said chamber to permit the insertion of the angle plate into the chamber.

In Figs. 5 and 6, I have shown a slightly modified form of main body --1-- and back-piece -2' in which those parts are provided with rearwardly extending ofl'sets 14- and 15+- having their contiguous faces disposed in approximately thesame horizontal plane as the lower wall of the horizontal portion 4 of the chamber 3-, but otherwise the chamber and angle plate are substantially the same as that previously described.

In assembling the parts -1 and 2-, a suitable quantity of soft cementitious material, capable ofhardening after the parts are assembled, is placed in the chamber 3--,- whereupon the back-piece 2-- with the angle plate thereon is brought into position to register the upright'pprtion 8- of the angle plate with the open 'side of the horizontal portion 4.-- of the chamber each other in reverse directions to cause the upright portion -8 to enter the chambered portion 5 as far as possible, or until limited by the close juxtaposition of the horizontal ledge 7- and adjacent face of the flange 6. This operation is quickly performed and it is all that is necessary to properly secure the two parts -1- and 2 to each other, the completed tooth being then laid aside to allow of the soft cementitious material 10 to set or harden, after which the tooth is ready for mounting.

The angle plate consisting of the horizontal ledge 7- and vertical flange 8, together with the end braces 11- and 12- andback-piece 2, constitutes a box-like structure fitting over and upon the flange '6 of the main body 1 and provides an exceptionally light, strong and durable connection between the parts 1- and 2, and at the same time permitting said connection to be brought wholly within the marginal edges of the tooth, leaving a considerable body between it and the crown for grinding, cutting and fitting without in any way interfering with the connection.

What I claim is:

1. An artificial tooth comprising a main body of porcelain or equivalent material having a laterally elongated chamber of an gular cross section from front to rear opening from the back, and a metal back-piece horizontal portion toward'the crown of the tooth. and a metal back-piece having a laterally elongated angle plate consisting of a substantially fiat horizontal portion seated in the horizontal portion of the chamber and a flat upright flange projecting downwardly from the inner edge of the horizontal portion and seated in the uprightportion of the chamber.

3. An artificial tooth comprising a main body having a laterally elongated chamber consisting of a horizontal portion extending from the back forwardly and an upright portion extending from the inner end of the horizontal portion toward the crown of the tooth, a metal back-piece having a laterally portion extending from the inner end of the elongated angle plate consisting of a suh-n In witness whereof I have hereunto set stantially horizontal portion seated in the my hand this 19th day of January, 1916. 10 horizontal portion of the chamber and an upright portion seated in the upright por- WALTER W. OSWALD.

tion of the chamber, and end braces connecting opposite ends of the upright portion Witneses: I

with correspondin ends of the horizontal H. E. CHASE,

portionof the ang e plate. Amen M. CANNON. 

